Corset-steel.



APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, 1912.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

THOMAS r. SOMERS, on NEW YORK,

N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 BIRDSEY-SOMERS COMPANY,

' OF NEW' YORK, N. Y. A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

consnrts'rnnt.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

Application filed April 16, 1912. Serial No. 691,205.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. Somalis-a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corset-Steels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to what are ordinarily termed corset steels used for the purpose of stiffening corsets and other articles of wearing apparel, but it will be understood that the articles are not necessarily made of steel and may be made of any suitable material.

The present invention is an improvement on that disclosed in the patent of J. E. Doolittle No. 835,350 granted November 6, 1906.

The object of the invention is to secure the desired degree of flexibility at the end por-.

tions of the blade or stiffening member not only at its ends but at its intermediate portion and to also secure greater stiffness at a point between the ends which will not interfere with the requisite flexibility of the member.

The novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of a corset steel embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge view; Fig. 8 is a cross section.

As shown in these drawings, the main body portion of the device is made in the shape of a long fiat member 1 which may be made of steel or of any other suitable material which has the necessary strength and flexibility. A strengthening strip 2 is placed longitudinally of the member 1 at the points where it is desired to strengthen the member and as shown it is along the central portion. It is preferably in the shape of a flat strip of the same width as the member 1 and fits closely against it. but is not rigidly secured to itat any point. Its ends are preferably rounded so as to present no sharp points to catch in the wearing apparel. A wire 3 is wrapped around the member 1 overlapping the strip 2 from one end to the other so as to securely hold the strip in place and to serve the additional function of strengthening the body portion 1 at the point covered by it. This wire 3 is preferably in the shape of a flat band wound closely around the parts so that it will not unduly thicken or project from the body portion of the steel.

It will be observed that the strengthening strip 2 is held firmly in place but not being rigidly secured to the body portion 1, it does not form a rigid brace and it allows free movement and bending of the parts limited only by the strength of the strip and the binding action of the coiled wire around it. The strengthening strip 2, not being rigidly attached to the main body member 1 of the stay, is free to move a limited distance longitudinally thereof and the ends of the flat wire 3 which are wound around the member 1 beyond the ends of the strengthening strip 2 will form stops which are engaged by the ends of the strip 2Ito limit the movementof the latter.

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is,

1. A spring steel for corsets comprising a fiat member having a flat strengthening strip thereon throughout part of its length, and a wire coiled around said member and strip and holding said strengthening strip in place. 7 V V 2. A spring steel for corsets comprising a main body portion, a longitudinal strengthening strip resting closely against said body between its ends but not rigidly secured thereto, and a wire coiled closely around said strip and body.

3. A spring steel for corsets comprising a flat member, a flat strengthening strip fitting against but not rigidly secured to said member at a point between its ends, said strip being free to move bodily a slight distance lengthwise of said flat member, and a fiat Wire coiled closely around said strip and I cure the parts together, said Wire having its 1 member to hold said strip in place and ends Wound around the body member in orstrengthen said member. I der to limit the movement of said strip.

4. A corset steel comprising the eombina- In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature tion of irm'siinfi zi't body me'ii fbei, a Hat reinin presence of twp witnesses. forcing strip fitting :(g'ainsiftli body memi i THOMAS F. SOME-RS. ber and free to move a limited distance lon- Witnesses: g'itudinall'y of the same, and a flat wire 7 GEORGE Y GBELR, Jr;, coiled around the'strip and member to se- HELEN F. ROBERTSON. 

